


Asking for a Flower

by suluismyspirit



Category: Star Trek
Genre: Adventure, Flowers, Oblivious Spock, sulu has a hard time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-23 13:27:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8329612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suluismyspirit/pseuds/suluismyspirit
Summary: Sulu gets roped into going on an away mission with Spock, all thanks to his little botany hobby. He'll have to pay Kirk back for this one.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first full story I'd ever written on my own. I tell you so that you may prepare yourself.

Sulu looked over at the senior science officer on this mission with him. How had he managed to get paired with Spock again? Oh yeah, his little botany hobby. As the pilot walked through the brush beside Spock, the Vulcan's eyes trained on the readout in his hand, he couldn’t help but complain. Even if those complaints were not voiced. 

It wasn't that he didn't like Spock, the guy had his good points. Just that a mission to find a specific plant, at a specific stage in its growth, was not what he considered a good time. Why had he shared his interests with Kirk again? He had to have been set up, there was no other explanation. Kirk had obviously just wanted to get out of finding this flower, which was supposed to be some great diplomatic gesture of goodwill between two factions that were, so he understood, just on the brink of war. 

"Just think Sulu, you'll be a hero." Kirk had said, clapping the pilot on the shoulder. "Come on, it'll be fun. Spock's such a riot after all." He'd laughed, directing the hapless Asian toward the transporter room. 

Thus, here he was, knee high is some strange smelling grass, looking for a flower. Weirdest mission ever. 

"This is the last time I ever do the Captain any favors." Sulu muttered, slapping at an insect as it landed on his arm. 

At this Spock looked up from his tricorder, brow furrowing. "To what favor are you referring? Our mission is to find the agave wislizeni flower and return to the Enterprise to continue on our diplomatic mission." 

And of course Spock would take his words literally. "No." Sulu said, deciding to just roll with it. He may as well have some sort of entertainment while they were stuck here, so long as he didn't take it so far as insubordination. "This," he stated, waving his arms at the ever heightening foliage, "This is a favor. Every single mission in the past month, Kirk has _insisted_ on being the one go down to the planet. This is just--" He cut off with a yelp and a curse, slapping at a large bug that had just bitten his shoulder. 

Sulu let out an irritated breath. It didn't help his mood any as he turned to see Spock looking at him with one brow raised, an unspoken comment on his 'human emotional outburst' no doubt. "Do you have some sort of natural insect repellant running through your veins?" he asked, half joking though somewhat jealous.

"If you would like, we could return to the ship and have Doctor McCoy synthesize and appropriate repellant." Spock offered.

"No thanks Spock. I'm not about to go back just to get hypoed by McCoy and sent straight back here." He commented. "Let's just go find the thing so that we..." he jerked back as a grasshopper like thing flew by his face. “So that we can get out of here." He finished grumpily.

Spock had just begun walking once more when Sulu heard the cracking of a branch, coupled with a strange hissing noise. Both he and Spock turned to look in the direction of the noise, the science officer consulting his tricorder a moment later. "There are no indication of life forms." He reported.

"I think it's malfunctioning." Sulu quipped, watching apprehensively as a creature slowly moved forward, pressing its way past some oversized leaves. 

"Wildlife, indigenous to the planet." Spock stated, his monotone reasoning only serving to grate at Sulu's nerves.

It was somewhat larger than a bear, its skin a slick black, reflecting the light in almost a metallic way. "It doesn't look too friendly." Sulu commented, backing away slowly as the creature bared teeth, eyeing him. 

Smoothly, Spock drew his phaser, setting it to stun and firing on the creature. The creature gave a low hissing snarl as the beam bounced off its skin. Sulu swore, Spock raising an eyebrow. "Fascinating." he commented, mind analyzing what the creature's composition could be to enact that type of reaction. 

"Study it later Spock," Sulu said, recognizing that look on Spock's face. "When it's not trying to eat us." 

Together the two officers turned and ran, bounding as quickly as possible through the tall grass. Spock pulled slightly ahead of Sulu, leading the way. Without warning Spock vanished, Sulu barely having a moment for confusion before the ground dropped out from under him, the thick grass having hidden the steep slope the two officers were currently rolling down. 

As the pilot finally rolled to a stop, he lay sprawled on the ground, ears ringing. He forced his eyes open, checking on the creature, which was no longer in pursuit, then to Spock, who was nearly on his feet already. Biting back a groan, Sulu sat up. He wasn't injured, but everything hurt. He waved off Spock's inquiries, muttering a short "I'm fine" as he stood up. Yes, this was, in fact, the worst mission ever. 

"Hey, at least we found the flowers." Sulu commented brightly. They had landed in the middle of a patch of the flowers, light teal petals curled out. Stretching sore muscles lightly, Sulu followed Spock. "We're looking for one's in the shadows." He stated, glancing at Spock in case he thought differently.

The Vulcan said nothing, so Sulu resumed searching. It took them nearly half an hour, Sulu swatting at insects the entire time. By the time Spock found the appropriate flower, Sulu was muttering curses under his breath. They packed it up, being careful to not damage it, then headed out to a clearing for transport. 

Kirk was waiting for them in the transport room when they returned. A smirk spread out over his face as he took in their appearance. “Didn’t run into too much trouble, did you?” He asked, reaching out to accept the container that Spock handed to him. Sulu was somewhat grateful, and a bit saddened, that it was Spock who had been holding the container. The pilot knew that he would not have been near so gentle in handing it over to the captain. He sighed, shrugging his still sore shoulder as he headed toward sickbay, the one and only time he was willingly, eagerly even, entering into McCoy’s domain. “Next time, let’s just get them a bouquet of roses.”


End file.
